It's a Photo Flashback
by Yin-Yang Yoh
Summary: Upon their daughter discovering an old photo album of their week before their fateful wedding, Ash and May go back and reminisce on some fond memories of that eventful week.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: A Proposal Like None Other**

* * *

_Disclaimers: I do not own any rights towards Pokémon._

* * *

A grunt of annoyance sprouted from the throat of a young child, who had sapphire blue eyes, long flowing black hair, and simple scarlet red pajamas that were comically too big for her. She stood upon a somewhat wobbly chair, her hand struggling to reach for a book that obviously seemed too high for her.

"Almost...there..."

When her hand had brushed over the spine of the book, she was just a bit too short to be within its reach, causing the poor girl to hang off the edge of the shelf.

"Clara, what are you doing?"

The little girl then cringed a little, before a hand started slipping. When she had reached the limit to how long she could hold on, a pair of arms scooped her up from underneath her arms. She glanced back sheepishly with guilt to see who had caught her.

"Heh...h-hi Sebastian."

The young boy then slowly let her onto the floor, where he got what book she was trying to get from the shelf.

"You're a crazy little Mankey, you know that? Don't do things like that again, you're only four."

"And-a-haaalf! I'll be five before you know it."

The young Sebastian then grinned inwardly, his auburn spiked hair with matching auburn eyes to boot, forming his intended expression. When he was finished making unintentional bragging rights, he gave his younger sibling the book that she was looking for. Not even a moment after, the two being that were responsible for the creation of the two misfits, if they were anything but, entered the room with some concern.

"What happened?" The brunette woman asked her child. "Is Clara alright?"

Sebastian just rubbed the underside of his nose before casually explaining the situation, making the two simmer down as a result.

"Oh good, I'm glad that you're fine Clara, but please do not do anything that dangerous again? Your dad and I don't want that happening to you."

The "daddy" in question, then raised an eyebrow, taking the book's cover a good scan.

"May, correct me if I am wrong, but that's our 'week before wedding' album, right?"

May then looked at the same cover again, interest filling her eyes.

"Ash, it is! Oh my, the memories..."

Clara was at this point hugging the album to her chest with some sort of protective nature over it. Ash then picked her up in a little cradle position, before sitting in a couch, along with the other two family members gathering around him as Clara opened the book to the first photo, Ash in an attire that seemed more like a uniform, was red, while May was posing with him, and had her hand near the camera to show off a small gold ring.

"This was before you were born Sebastian..."

* * *

**Nine years ago, Ketchum Residence:**

A yawn casually erupted from the young adult's mouth. Stretching his arms, the man removed himself from the comfort of his bed to check his email's inbox for an important document that he was anticipating for many weeks. A little yellow mouse companion then decided to join him on his desk. He simply rubbed the little mouse's head.

"Hey Pikachu did you sleep as well as I did?"

Pikachu nodded his head multiple times before Ash sighed, closing the window for his emails.

"Still nothing from them..."

He then quietly descended down the stairs, where his attention was immediately caught by the Mr. Mime with a letter out in front of Ash. The emblem that held the back end of the envelope spelled it all out for him.

"It's...the Pokémon Ranger Society Emblem!"

Ash quickly, yet precisely, opened its contents, glancing over all the details and reading them out to himself.

"Greetings... The Head of the Pokémon Ranger Inductee board...Hereby notified... been selected... training therein... report local board...I've been drafted! I did it! Mom!"

The man then quickly ran into the kitchen where his mother was drinking a cup of tea, whom almost spilled it at the sheer loudness of his voice, reacted by placing the cup delicately onto the tablecloth before seeing her son enter the room with so much energy.

"Ash? What is the matter?"

"It's not bad news mom! It's good news! I am an official Pokémon Ranger!"

Delia then clapped her hands in joy before giving him a large hug.

"Ash! I am so proud of you!"

Pulling out his cell phone, Ash then immediately speed dialled the number one, where a brunette woman was seen on screen before he placed the phone to his ear.

* * *

**Petalburg City:**

"Delcatty! Use Blizzard!"

"Nyaaaaa!"

The medium-sized feline then gave out its signature cry, blowing a howling icy wind over the area, producing many different snowflakes as a result.

"Good job! Now, use your Thunder Wave on it!"

A blue electricity then emitted from her tail, shocking the snowflakes from the Blizzard in an array that looked like a bell. When it stopped, the snowflakes fell from their original place, like time had just reverted for them. At that moment, the coordinator's ear picked up on a familiar note.

"Okay Delcatty, take a break."

"Nya!"

The brunette slipped the phone out of her pocket, pressing a button to answer.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other side then seemed to explode in her ear a little.

"May! I did it!"

May clearly recoiled a bit, before quickly regaining her composure to respond.

"Wait, you're now-"

"I am a Pokémon Ranger! I have to go fill out a few things at the Ranger Union in Monsu Island, and that's right in the heart of Hoenn!"

"Ash, wasn't that the Island of the bases of Team Aqua and Magma?"

"Yeah, but they shut those bases down and dedicated it to building a new headquarters for the Hoenn Region Pokémon Rangers, which is where I signed up to be."

May sighed, a bit distraught over the sudden changes of pace.

"But that Island...it's so far..."

"May...I, also have something to ask of you when we're done on Monsu Island, which shall be a surprise..."

May hung her mouth a bit slack jawed at the thought of what the surprise could possibly, and then fully decided to make up her mind.

"Alright, I'll come with you. Shall we have breakfast at Lilycove or on a ship there?"

"You'll see."

The phone then hung up, May looking eagerly at the sky.

"This is it...I just know it. It's finally time..."

* * *

Ash then continued on from where May had left off. "On that day, I was preparing myself for the biggest moment of my life with your mom. After we had left our old homes, we both were on a ship to register my trainer class as a Pokémon Ranger..."

* * *

**Monsu Island:**

As the two trainers walked off the deck of the boat, the first thing they took in was the depth defying facility that had been built after the incident with Teams Magma and Aqua. Three large buildings with the respective color of a Pokémon Ranger's uniform, along with a largely scaled version of the Pokémon Ranger emblem emblazed on the roof. Not a moment too soon, they were greeted by a man in a red uniform with black variations of sturdy clothing, a piece of rope at his belt.

"Hello, you must be Ash Ketchum. The board here on Monsu Island are very impressed with your trainer record, and therefore is giving you a special uniform, similar to the ones found in regions further away from us. Now, if you could just follow me..."

The couple then were escorted by the single man into the largest building that had laid in the center of the island. Entering it, they continued following the single man until a familiar face who had blonde hair, and despite his late twenties age, his physique was still as spry as the time they first met him was on a screen in front of them.

"Jack? What are you doing here?"

"I'm one of the heads here on Monsu Island. Keeping close to mountains is one, but making sure that an entire region is safe from all of this is a larger and more serious responsibility. Now, onto business with you Ash. Your status as a Pokémon Trainer has been one of the highest applications for a position. On that note, I am going to assign you as a special ranked ranger for this region, I shall send you your mission's location later in the afternoon."

The same man that escorted them then gave Ash his new Pokémon Ranger uniform, which had prompted Jack on screen to flip off. The couple then walked outside, where they quickly stopped at a pseudo-classy resort like cafe that was built for rangers on break. Ash and May proceeded to eat their splendorous lunch. By the time they were finished, Ash moved out of his chair, kneeling in front of May.

"May, since I now have accomplished what I wanted, I think there is only one question left to cross off of my list of achievements. And there isn't a better person for me. May Maple...will you marry me?"

It only took moments for her to register the thought. A teary smile then was established across her face, the salty drops beginning to fall like rain off of her cheeks, an embrace soon was made to him, eternal bliss all over the young couple.

"Yes...YES! I will! I will Ash Ketchum!"

Unknown to them, their interaction had formed a small crowd, which earned repeated applause towards the table they sat at. But to them, it didn't matter, for their temporary happiness, seemed eternal.

* * *

"That was how your dad proposed to me. It was perfect, and it was unexpected. The best proposal that I could ever have wanted."

The little girl then swung her arms around cutely, before pointing at two other pictures.

"What is this Daddy?"

The man then chuckled, him brushing a finger over the picture.

"That...was when your brother got his first Pokémon."

* * *

**Next Time:**

_Professor Oak makes a dramatic announcement!_

"May's Blaziken just had an egg!"

_Bachelor and Bachelorette parties go all around with their friends!_

"C'mon girl, swing those hips!"

_And an even more shocking revelation will come forth from the Ketchum's past harships!_

"Delia..."

"Aeon?"

_Tune in next time, on Chapter 2: Bachelor, Bachelorette Blowout!_


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Bachelor, Bachelorette Blowout!**

_Disclaimers are in the first chapter._

* * *

_Residence of the Oaks:_

The couple then reached the front door of the ranch, knocking on the door that laid in front of them, which was quickly opened by a spiky brunette man with a black sports jacket.

"Oh great, you guys finally made it, this is groundbreaking for your Pokémon, and the scientific community as well!"

As the two of them followed the uncharacteristically frantic Gary Oak to the back of the lab, where they were exchanging looks of confusion to what he could be panicking over. By the time they reached where Gary was directing them to, Gary himself was typing furiously on his computer.

"So, you mind telling us what exactly is so thrilling that it makes you look like Jolteon that just had been absorbing electricity?"

The professor then slowed down, before spinning around to face them with his hands in a clasped position.

"Yes, about that. You both are aware to how eggs from Pokémon are made right?"

They both nodded, which made an image appear on the screen behind him.

"This happened only a couple of days ago, but it has stirred quite a controversy among the scientific community."

An orange-reddish oval appeared on the screen, followed by yellow markings that made it seem like a miniature flame.

"What is so odd about May's Blaziken having an egg?"

The egg blipped into multiple screens, showing the DNA configuration that was made with the egg.

"The fact that the father is Ash's Sceptile is what makes it so odd."

The couple reeled back in shock, completely having literally no idea how to react. Ash was the first to break out of the daze.

"B-b-but that's, that's impossible! There's just no way!"

"That's what the scientific community of Pokémon had been saying all day too. With such an anomaly, it is less than likely that this egg will even see the light of day."

Ash and May's faces then fell completely at the sound of that. Gary then quickly changed the topic.

"On a side note however, I have to congratulate you both. You guys are finally getting married! Not to mention, you're now a Pokémon ranger Ash."

His old rival nodded back, giving him a large grin.

"Thank you Gary. That reminds me...can we hold the wedding here?"

The young professor just raised an eyebrow, the question perking his interest to why he would hold the wedding in Pallet rather in someplace more grand, or why May hadn't convinced him already.

"May, you're okay with the wedding in Pallet? Not somewhere like Evergrande City?"

"Yeah, it's fine with me Gary!"

"Interesting..."

* * *

May's finger traced over the borders of the photo of Ash, May, along with their Blaziken and Sceptile holding an egg in their hands.

"It was some sort of miracle given to them. Their egg groups were nowhere close to being the same, but despite that, they had an egg."

Sebastian then stared very hard at the photo of the egg, before looking at her with the most innocent of eyes.

"Mom, how are eggs made?"

"Yeah! I want to know as well!"

The question from both their children had definitely startled them, knowing that they both were too young for them to be divulging that knowledge to their children.

"Well...uh...er...h-hey May! Remember that crazy party that Brock and Misty's sisters threw for us?"

Ash was winking out of eyeshot to her, with her catching on very quickly.

"O-o-oh! Y-yes! I believe those two photos are here!"

With the two frantically looking through the album, Ash decided to start his bachelor party story first.

"So, Brock was the best man for the wedding, and he was throwing a very tasteful bachelor party for me..."

* * *

_**Saffron City, Club Silph:**_

"Let's get right into it guys!"

The group consisting of Ash, Brock, Gary, Tracey, Ritchie, Max, Drew, Paul, Kenny, Barry, Trip, and Cilan, entered the club, where the initial lights were dim, except for the rainbow of lights flashing across the whole dance club, with the DJ playing some snazzy beats. The group's face grew with increasing surprise as they looked around.

"Wow, and here we thought you would choose something less clean."

Everyone but Brock were all laughing when Ash made that remark, even Brock.

"Hey, I can be a very tasteful guy myself! So, let's go!"

Brock signalled a waitress nearby, where she then gave him a key.

"Your V.I.P. room is right down the hall to your left, number 39."

"Thank you, follow me, I pre-ordered a lot of things from this club just for the bachelor party."

Some members of the group gave each other high fives and fist bumps before proceeding behind the doors. They were instantly met with a large and vast array of food on a surprisingly small table, and various drinks, along with a large TV and lounge chairs. The club's music could be heard outside of their room, before it was immediately interrupted by Brock turning the TV on, where the sound of a live audience and sporting event were heard.

"FOOTBAALLLLL!"

Everyone, except for Paul, gathered around the television set, already wrapped up into the intense broadcast of a Kanto Football Team going against a Sinnoh Football Team, more specifically, Viridian City and Snowpoint City. Ash saw that Paul wasn't joining them, so he decided to approach him.

"Paul? Are you gonna watch the game?"

"I'm not one for social events Ketchum."

"Come on man! You got to loosen up, and enjoy this moment! And I'm the groom here, heh heh..."

A somewhat happy go lucky smile was plastered over his face, before another whistle was heard.

"It's kickoff!"

Ash then dragged the reluctant stoic over to the set, where Brock was holding a large plate of wings for all to go around.

* * *

_**Meanwhile, in a pub in Celadon:**_

"C'mon girl! Swing those hips for me!"

The bachelorette party was accompanied by May, Misty, Holly Winstrate, Dawn, Ashley, Harmonia, Iris, Anabel, Lucy, Bianca, all three of Misty's sisters(they being the ones holding the bachelorette for her), Delia Ketchum of all people, and the self-invited Harley. The male's self-invite had turned a few of the girls off, and somewhat uncomfortable for May, even if all he was doing was dancing with the hostesses and throwing his shirt off and claiming that he was a goddess. Amongst the confusion, about half the pub was more or less ten times livelier with Harley's antics.

"Has...Harley drunk too much?" May asked while glancing over Harley's increasing amount of glasses that he had ordered from the bar.

"I don't think so...but I would be lying..." Anabel responded with a sweat drop as she took a sip of a glass that she knew was completely safe.

"WOOOHOOHOOHOO! I am so hot, I am on fire!"

The duo then saw that the latter male had removed his entire attire in replacement to an exact replica of May's Wallace Cup dress.

"I am May's shadow, the shadow...of her true inner self!" Harley shouted while spinning around in it.

"Where does Harley get his sick kicks?" May asked the group who were also taking a couple shots, Delia taking the least amount.

"I don't know, he really rocks that dress, like, SO FABULOUS!" cheered a clearly less than sober Misty. Her three sisters also ringed in at the same time with their opinion.

"He, is so, perf! Like, really perf!"

"So much for designated drivers..." mumbled Dawn as she looked at the four siblings. Upon seeing the display that the four bachelorettes and single somewhat bachelor was putting on, she had a look of worry on her face. Lucy was the one to take notice before asking.

"Are you worried that Ash is doing something stupid while he's out with his fellow bachelors, even though we're dating half of them?"

May solemnly nodded, Holly immediately taking her cell phone out, dialing a number.

"Who are you calling Holly?"

"Your brother. Hello?" a bit of static could be heard on the line, before it was immediately cleared up with a distinguishable, yet slurring voice on the other end.

"YOOOOO, Holly, babe! What is up!?"

The entire group just groaned.

"Max is drunk." Iris deadpanned, while Holly just continued with her conversation with her boyfriend.

"Max, what are you guys doing? Are you at a peep show or something? I WILL KILL YOU IF YOU GUYS ARE!"

"Relax, babe. We're just watching the game with Brock and fellow chums, anyways, gotta go, Armstrong is going multiple yards with the Snowpoint Glacier's punt!"

"Max Maple, don't you dare hang up on-"

Her protests were only met with the tone of being hung up.

"Me."

The younger woman then groaned, Harmonia taking out her phone and dialing a number as well.

"Let me try Paul, he's probably just watching them better than the others."

* * *

_**Meanwhile, in Club Silph:**_

After a couple of rings from the lavender cell phone, a hand stumbled to pick it up.

"Hello, what is cooking doc?"

A groan was heard on the other end, followed by a female voice.

"Paul, are you drunk?"

"I may...be just a little. Don't worry Harmonia, everything is completely just fine!" Paul then pulled a glass from the side of the table, dousing his throat with the burgundy liquid inside, along with a couple cheers that were near the glass, causing him to immediately hang up the phone and throw his phone back into his bag.

"Go Snowpoint go!"

The commentary from the TV set had the men glued to their seats, watching the set with intensity.

"Samuel Rodriguez coming up, going long, going long, Steven Armstrong catching up! Wait a minute, Rodriguez! Rodriguez is thirty yards away! Twenty! Ten! He's done it! Touchdown for the Viridian Earthquakes!"

The Kanto born residents then cheered, multiple high fives being given out, causing some of the ones who had Sinnoh origins to groan, while others were taking their spoils from wagers that had existed between those with neither Kanto nor Sinnoh origins. Brock then proceeded to tap his glass, catching all of the bachelors' attention.

"Alright, alright! Here's to Ash Ketchum, the first of us to get married! May he have a great married life!"

"Here here!"

They all then clanked their glasses, drinking their contents heartily. After they were done, Barry then cracked his knuckles.

"Let the bachelor roasting begin!"

"WOOOO!"

Ash, who was somewhat sober then proceeded to sweatdrop.

"Oh boy..."

* * *

The man just sighed before turning the pages.

"I'll tell you about the roast later, when the both of you are older."

Sebastian then turned to his mother, asking her another question that they would rather avoid.

"What happened to you during your roast mom?"

May's eyes twitched, looking away from them.

* * *

"And then, and then, when she was thrown into the fountain by me, her make-up had smeared!" Harley cried in hysterics. The bachelorettes were all roasting May as well, with Harley doing the roasting himself.

"Okay Harley, I think that's quite enough..."

"NOT QUITE!"

Everyone's heads turned to the carrot headed Misty, where she had slammed her glass onto the table while some tears of pure enjoyment were in her eyes.

"There's. This one time...where May...and Dawn...had gotten their swimsuits too tight because they washed their clothes with concentrated bleach, and they were the talk of Cerulean! It was hilarious! Their boyfriends were there to see it all too! Ahahaha..."

The latter two females just blushed, embarrassment written over them.

* * *

"I'll tell you later when you're older, okay honey?"

"Okay..."

Ash then remembered something quite literally on the spot.

"WAIT! There was also when we got my mom and dad back together!"

"Of course! Here we are..."

* * *

_**About midnight after the parties:**_

Ash and his group were already heading back to a Hotel in Viridian, to that was the nearest place with commodities for the night. The wedding was on the following Saturday. They were all sleeping in rooms that were near or with their respective girlfriends, Ash and May sleeping in the same room, by their request to the group. Delia was going to sleep in a singular room that was a floor above the future newlyweds. While they were walking, Delia decided to stop by a small department store which happened to be near the hotel, with her looking for something that would be a fitting wedding gift for Ash and May. When she had found what was perfect for the two, she bumped into someone...familiar, as if fate had drawn them together.

"Delia?"

The man had the same hairstyle and hair color reminiscent to her son, although it was a little longer and was tied in the back, facial features that were older and more solid, some stubble that was curving around his chins, and finally, a large white trench coat, along with a pair of black jeans.

"Aeon? What are you doing here?" Aeon then offered a hand, which she accepted, which they then both collaborated to get off the floor.

"I was just around in the city. I didn't think that I would see you around. What are you doing?"

"Ash...our, son..." the pronoun didn't seem to fit compared to the bitterness she had over the years. "Ash is getting married." She then looked away, memories that she promised never to bring up otherwise returning.

"Delia...I'm sorry, I left with-"

"I think I should go." She hurriedly left him and the store, leaving what she was planning to get for Ash and May's wedding on the floor. Delia never stopped running, and had passed everyone before locking herself from the world. A few knocks could be heard on the wood, where she just weakly answered back.

"I don't want to see anyone."

"This isn't like you mom..."

A startled look appeared on her face, as she then slowly approached the door with some sense of caution, carefully opening the door. She was then face to face with her son, where he pulled her into a small embrace.

"Mom...this is unlike you. Are you choosing to run away from your past?"

"No Ash...I...I just need some time, I can't exactly describe it. It's similar to how he has been dead to me for such a long time, and seeing him back here...those memories of how we were together...they're...there's too much bad blood. This is unlike me though...to feel hatred towards him like this."

The woman then just lied down on her bed, mulling over the situation. Ash then decided to exit, leaving her to her thoughts, before he passed a familiar face, who then entered as fast as Ash entered.

"Leave it to themselves. They have to be the ones to make amends." a female voice called out to him as he left.

Back in the room with Delia, a hand knocked on the open door softly, a distinct tone of apology in his voice.

"Delia...I'm so sorry for what I have done, and how much I made you suffer. But know...that I have something to give to you."

A hand reached into his pocket, pulling out a delicate piece of cloth, that had a floral pattern decorating the lacy sides.

"That's...that's the handkerchief you gave to me when we first met..."

A tear was brought to her eyes before she smacked his hand away

"Well you're quite late for an apology! Leaving me alone with Ash, in a state of dire urgency! You had to go to that war, funding for Shadow Pokémon technology, you put your own son in danger as well!"

"It was with good intentions...I wanted you and Ash to have a prosperous life!"

"You still don't understand Aeon!" Delia's statement had caught the man off guard, even though he had half expected it.

"All my life, the love we had many years ago...it had dried up from you leaving, and I knew it was impossible to gain my husband back from something as destructive as war! Ash had given me so much happiness that I don't want any of it to go away, with your intrusion!"

The man just stood there speechless.

"I-Intrusion?"

"What makes you think casually coming here would repair between us...love cannot be easily recovered like this...this isn't a children's fairy tale!"

Aeon kept silent, while Delia had kept talking, tears running through her face, until she had stopped from a familiar texture being applied to her cheeks. Even through the tears, she could see a familiar floral pattern, though it was a different color compared to the one she dropped.

"Aeon...that's...the handkerchief that I gave you..."

"I have always kept it safe."

It was Delia's turn to be shocked, as she skeptically looked at the old piece of cloth. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, for there was not even a single wear or tear on it, as if it was just made.

"You...kept it like this, after all this time?"

"Remember what we said to each other when we exchanged handkerchiefs?"

Delia took the handkerchief she had smacked out of his hands, folding it very neatly, holding it within the palm of her hand.

"As long as this remains with us...it shall be there to dry each other's tears, whether in sorrow or glee..."

A couple tears were then sliding down her cheeks.

"I don't know what to say...you've kept this in such good condition this entire time...when you first gave this to me, it meant everything... but through the years, even when you left me, I never took this handkerchief for granted either. I guess that means that my heart is starting to remember that I never stopped loving you."

The man then embraced her, a soft peck on the cheek coming after.

"You're no longer mad? Are you letting me back into your heart?"

She nodded, slowly putting the handkerchief into her pocket.

"Yes...I am. Do you want to just sit down and have some tea?"

"Thank you Delia. I would love to."

The two older adults sat by a nearby coffee table, a smile appearing on the faces of a couple outside the door.

* * *

"That's how my mom and dad got back together. And it was just a few days before the wedding too..."

The little girl then excitedly jumped on his lap.

"Can we see the wedding album, please, please, please?!"

"Sorry guys, it's getting late, you two should be going to bed right now."

The two children then became downcast, before Ash managed to say something that immediately perked their spirits.

"But, the first one to go to bed, have a good night's sleep, and wake up on time tomorrow will get to hear all about the wedding!"

The two were mere flashes by the time he had mentioned it. Ash and May then decided it was also a good time to go to their sleeping quarters as well. Taking his hand, the couple decided to take a different album from the shelf with them, glancing at the first page...May in her wedding dress, along with Ash exchanging a vow in a lavishing black suit.

* * *

**Next Time:**

_The awaited wedding of Ash and May!_

"Do you take, Ash Ketchum, to be your lawfully wedded husband, forever in sickness and in death?"

_Ash's first assignment as a Pokémon Ranger!_

"You shall be working in..."

_And a bunch of new arrivals to their family!_

"It's...hatching?!"

_Tune in next time, Chapter 3: I Shall Stay by Your Side._


End file.
